Sanctuary
by Stooone
Summary: AxI. From the start, starting in the middle, and - eventually - till the end.
1. Chapter 1

**Sanctuary**

**by stooone**

**Disclaimer : I don't own Hellsing, nor any of the characters. _sob_**

* * *

_the middle._

The sounds repetitive punching could be heard on the other side of the « mysterious » door.

Alucard was curious. This room was in an abandoned part of the Hellsing manor ; it used to be a kind of salon, but he had observed Walter removing all the furniture a few days ago, and now it seemed his young master was using the room as some kind of gym ?

Cautiously he went through the door, and indeed there she was : blond hair held in a tight ponytail, glasses forgotten somewhere, in nothing but some black cargo pants and a white tank top, Intergra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing had never looked less like the head of the most secret organization in England and more like the fourteen year old tomboy she tried so hard to conceal from everyone -including herself.

Not even two years after the death of her father, she was still struggling to make everybody see her as the respectable and competent sir Hellsing. She dispensed orders with a cold efficiency, never giving anyone the time to question whether or not she knew what she was doing. Her lips never laughed and rarely smiled, and a few months ago had started being almost permanently adorned by one of those horrible cigars that Arthur Hellsing used to smoke. From the day she had released Alucard from his dark dungeon, he had never seen her in anything but men suits.

* * *

_back to the start._

The No Life King had been impressed that day, by the strength and courage of this one tiny, fragile human girl ; he had been intrigued. He could still remember his delight, as after having witnessed her father's death, being chased and almost killed by the only remaining family she had, watching her uncle's men be literally devoured and torn to pieces by the monster her own blood had released, and shooting that bastard Richard herself, little Integra had taken three deep breaths, lowered her gun, and looked the vampire in the eye to say in a clear voice :

"That will be all, Servant."

And with that she calmly walked out of the cell, never turning back to see the giant grin splitting the monster's face. He hadn't been fooled, of course, as he could hear her heart thundering in her little chest while she struggled to keep her pace even and not flee at a dead run. But oh, had he been delighted.

From the time Walter came back the day after, she had read every piece of information she could find on her new vampire pet. She summoned both of them in her father's - now her – office, where she basically explained how things were going to run from then on. Alucard was to be Hellsing's trump card, a reinforcement of her troops for when they went against more than just a few ghouls.

Walter was to remain her butler, but now she also wanted the Angel of Death to teach her everything he knew that could be of use in the war against the undead. At that Walter's eyes went slightly round – but of course she would have found out about his earlier assignments for Hellsing in the files concerning Alucard. If she was surprised or angered to discover that her old butler had hidden his deadly talents from her, she never showed it.

She dismissed Alucard telling him that he was to remain in the manor unless ordered otherwise, and that she had arranged for packets of blood to be delivered to him so that he didn't need to go ... hunting. The vampire bowed low, his insane grin firmly in place, and phased through the floor seemingly to regain the basement. In truth he remained close enough to follow the rest of the conversation.

"Are you sure-" the butler began but was interrupted.

"Yes, I am, Walter." The fifty year old man sighed, and tried again.

"I am well aware that Alucard is a great asset against our enemies, Integra ; but he is dangerous, much more dangerous than you can possibly imagine. Your father thought he-" once again she didn't let him finish.

"He had the perfect opportunity to be rid of the Hellsing curse. My father dead, the only remaining Hellsings were my uncle and I, and we were trying to kill each other. I didn't order him to save me, Walter, he could have simply let Richard shoot me before leaving him to die of his wounds, and he would have been free. I can only assume that he had no choice but to protect me, the legitimate heir of the Hellsing Organisation. Besides," she pulled her glasses off and gave the butler a wry smile. "I am already enough at a disadvantage, in front of enemies and allies alike -I'm a twelve year old girl, for God's sake, do you really think the Knights will easily accept my authority as head of Hellsing ? Having the No Life King as a servant will at least give me a bit of much needed leverage."

The butler lowered his head in assent.

"I suppose you're right. Integra ..." his eyes shone with concern. "Are you alright ?" He asked in a soft voice.

"I ..." she set her jaw firmly. "I have no time to be anything but." The young girl put her glasses back on and began looking through the files she had assembled on her desk.

"I'll have to combine perfecting my education with running the organization. For that I have established a list of the basic skills I have to obtain, as a commander of Hellsing's troops and a political figure ; I trust you will help me both in acquiring them and adding anything you deem important to the list." She gave him the file and waited while he scanned it's content. At one point his eyebrows rose slightly.

"Fighting skills, my lady ?"

"Sir" she corrected him. "And yes, fighting skills. If I'm to be a general, I have to understand what it is to be a soldier. I would not have my men do something I won't. Besides, I never again want to depend on someone to defend my life."

Once again the butler acquiesced.

"From now on, I'll devote the morning to my studies, and the afternoon to running the organization. I'll expect you to assist me in whatever domain you can, and find me suitable teachers for the rest."

"Very well, Sir."

"Any questions or recommendations ?"

"No, Sir." Walter let a proud smile show. "If I may be so bold ... You're doing really good, Integra. Your father made no mistake in making you the head of Hellsing."

The new Sir Hellsing inclined her head graciously, and Walter bowed his way out of the room. The instant the door closed behind the butler, shadows rippled out of the shade, twirling and twisting to give in to the solid form of the Nosferatu.

"I can teach you." his voice was as deep as the darkness he had emerged from.

Integra didn't even raise her head from the papers she was studying. "From now on kindly refrain from eavesdropping, servant, unless you want me to confine you in your cell again. As for teaching me, I have no desire whatsoever to frightened my men into discipline by impaling any who disobey me."

His laugh boomed, seemingly coming from every corner of the study. She raised her head at that, and couldn't conceal a bit of surprise at his appearance.

When she had summoned him earlier, he had still been dressed in the leather outfit she had found him in ; now the Nosferatu appeared impeccably dressed in a black suit and white shirt, completely monochrome with his jet black hair and pale skin, the only hint of color being the red tie complimenting his glowing red eyes.

"You sure look better than when I found you." His grin showed too many teeth.

"I've had a good meal."

Integra made a noncommittal sound. "I suppose I won't have to have the bodies disposed of, then." Her eyes shone with determination not to let him deter her, while his glinted madly. It was like a duel, a clashing of wills sharper than steel, and Alucard felt an almost sensual thrill course his undead body.

"There may be a few bones left..." he rasped, coming closer. "Though, really, what I enjoyed the most was that pure virgin blood that brought me back to unlife " he practically purred.

Never letting go of his eyes, the young girl let her arms rest on her desk and actually leaned forward. She matched his tone and his smile as she answered :

"Lets hope that this memory can sustain you, Alucard, as you'll never have another taste of it." The vampire felt his heart swell with excitement. Could it be that he had found a spirit to match his own in this little human girl ? For the first time in a long, long time, he was genuinely interested, curious even, of what would come next.

"Master..." he lowered his eyes, and when he met hers again his insane grin had changed into a slight smirk in his otherwise respectful expression. Integra felt she had passed some kind of test and relaxed a bit, but kept her attention firmly on the creature in front of her.

He advanced toward her and managed to fall both graciously and unceremoniously in one of the two chairs facing hers. He matched her posture, leaning his arms on the desk right in front of her, looking more like a young lord than a five centuries old monster. When he next spoke his tone was very serious.

"Master. I've been a king, I've been a general, I've been a soldier, and I've been amongst humans for centuries. I'd been fighting ghouls and vampires for years before your family imprisoned me. You cannot deny that I have ... experience." He paused a moment there, and went on when she didn't comment.

"I can teach you to fight. I can teach you to command. I can teach history better than any book or teacher could, as I have been witness to it."

She narrowed her eyes. "What's in it for you, vampire?"

A flash of white fangs. "Some of your pure Hellsing blood, of course"

"Never." She leaned back on her chair. He barked a laugh "A true Hellsing indeed ! I think I would have been disappointed if you had accepted, Master. The truth, then."

He sat up straighter, smirking. "You fascinate me." He raised a hand to forestall her interruption. "This is no idle flattery, Master, as it would no doubt lead me nowhere if not back in the dungeon. In all my years of existence I have yet to meet a man whose spirit matches yours. I find it will be ... most exciting to shape you into the great leader you undoubtedly have the potential of being."

They looked at each other for a time then, neither moving, each trying to assess the other's thoughts.

"Alright." Integra finally said. "We'll start tomorrow morning." She began studying her father's files again. "You're dismissed" she waved a hand at him.

The Nosferatu bowed his head again and stood up to leave.

"And Alucard" she looked at him over her glasses "when I say 'you're dismissed', it means that you _have_ to go away, somewhere you can't keep observing me. Is that clear ?"

He grinned and bowed again, without releasing her eyes. "Very, Master." And with that he disappeared.

That night Integra had terrible nightmares. She was running, running for her life in dark corridors, and she could feel darkness closing in around her as footsteps sounded closer and closer. Her heart pounded in her ears, and a maniacal laugh pounded in her mind, and she was running toward a closed door behind which laid salvation... but then she opened the door and instead of relief she was overwhelmed in a whirlwind of screams and growls and teeth and blood and pain sharper than the fear that gripped her and constricted her throat

With a gasp the twelve year old girl jerked awake. Squeezing her eyes shut and clenching her little fists, Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing refused to turn on the light in her cold bedroom, refused to let her heart beat wildly in her chest, and refused to even acknowledge the tears that pooled behind her lids. She pretended to go back to sleep.

In his dark cave, the vampire was thoughtful. So his new master _was_ a normal, scared little girl after all... At least in her dreams, where she didn't have an iron control on everything felt and expressed, she was. Humans hadn't changed _that_ much in the few decades he'd been... put away. He remembered the time where women were fair ladies swooning at the sight of blood, and the strong ones were those who could take care of their house when their husband was away. Or could refrain from screaming at the sight of a vampire's fangs... Oh he'd met strong women in all the years he roamed the earth ; but one so young, combining such fierce courage and determination with this quiet air of authority? Never. _What a formidable woman she'll become..._ _Such a powerful instrument..._

In the depth of his cold dungeon, the No Life King chuckled darkly, white teeth and malevolent red eyes glinting. For the first time in a long, long time, he was actually looking forward to what fate would present him with next.

* * *

**alright, so I realise this start and middle thingy isn't reeeally clear, so we'll just say that the middle was an introduction and I'll come back to the mystery room later, shall we ? lets. **

**that's it for now, I hope you like it ! r&r please :)**

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	2. Chapter 2

**Sanctuary**

**by stooone**

**Disclaimer : I don't own Hellsing, nor any of the characters. sob**

**Chapter 2.**

* * *

She was getting better with the sword. Actually, she was getting damn good with the sword. And she had an undeniable gift with any kind of gun. Alucard grinned.

Why he had elected to teach her _those_ skills he didn't really know, but he sure enjoyed seeing Integra's proper education go flying out of the window in the heat of their not-completely-mock battles. Her carefully schooled features would contort into a snarl as she attacked, her hair tousled, her breath short.

"Focus, Master." his tone was amused, and his smirk barely respectful as he lightly tapped her left hip with the point of his sword. Of course the Seals prevented him from actually hurting her ; but he certainly could wound her pride.

It _was_ rather amusing, too. He would talk to her while they fought, sometimes just taunting her, or commenting on a lesson one of her teachers had given her, criticizing, adding his own observations on the subject discussed, forcing the conversation into a debate. He enjoyed her sharp wits, and reveled in their banter. He kept her on her toes, never letting her attention waver from either their talk or their more physical battle.

She released an irritated sigh as she went back in the "en garde" position.

"Achilles was a fool. There is no honor in pursuing glory for the sake of glory, nor in killing for the sake of killing."

"Ah but my dear master, one doesn't necessarily need any extra motivation to kill ; the act in itself is quite enjoyable." The vampire's grin grew to show too many pointed teeth. Integra rolled her eyes in a very unladylike fashion, having gotten used her servant's pseudo attempts at intimidation.

"Yes, Alucard, you like tearing people to pieces, and virgin blood tastes like summer rain. You mentioned it already. But you know" she parried his attack. "you don't need to remind me that you're an abomination" she advanced "a monster from the bowels of Hell" she lunged "I _know_ you're a vamp-"

Her sword pierced his shirt, his flesh, and embedded itself in his unbeating heart. Both set of eyes opened wide.

A moment of utter silence. Then :

"Yes..." he rasped, blood trickling out of his mouth. "I'm a vampire. And to kill a vampire..." he blinked. "... you have to pierce his heart." He fell backward.

Integra was frozen in place.

"Alucard ?" barely a whisper. She fell on her knees next to him, staring uncomprehending at the growing red stain on his white shirt.

"Alucard !" No response from the unblinking red eyes.

"ALUCARD !" She gripped his shoulders and shook him with all her strengh. "ANSWER ME, SERVANT !"

In the blink of an eye the sword had disappeared and his face was right in front of hers, mad grin perfectly in place, looking very smug. "But then, Master, I'm no ordinary vampire."

He was very surprised to realize that what came next shocked him to the core. The girl's face crumbled as she hit him with all her strength, hit him over and over again.

"I HATE you you MORRON ! You stupid, useless vampire TRASH ! I thought you were dead ! I thought you were gone too you BASTARD !" And then she dissolved into tears, never stopping her bruising assault on his chest.

A completely stunned Nosferatu found his arms closing around the twelve year old, in a very human reflex he thought long forgotten.

"I'm... I'm sorry" he heard his voice say. He clasped her against him, telling himself that he was just preventing her from bruising him even more. He felt her fists clench in his shirt.

"I thought you were gone too..." her voice trembled as she desperately tried to take deep breaths and to regain some sort of composure. Her frail body was rigid with tension, and she was shaking. She tried to move away from him but the vampire, resolutely NOT thinking about what he was doing and why he was doing it, tucked her head under his chin and held her tight, rocking slightly.

"I'm sorry." he repeated. She resisted a bit at first, but then she curled more tightly against him and let the grief of everything she had lived, survived really, in the last few months pour forth from her. She cried her sorrow for her father's death, she cried her terror, she cried the heavy burden her frail shoulders had to carry, she cried her loneliness and despair. She cried without a sound, great sobs wracking her body, and all the while the vampire held her.

After a time she began to calm down. Neither moved. Then she asked, in a voice so soft he almost didn't hear it :

"It_ is_ you, isn't it ?" a pause. "the man in my dreams..." he swallowed.

"I have nightmares, and there used to be just darkness and teeth and screams, but now when I dream this knight comes and fights it all away..." She raised her head to meet his eyes. "It's you, right ?"

He didn't answer. He didn't want to think about acknowledging the fact that _maybe, _he had done just that.

"Well I don't need a knight in shining armor." she stood up. "I'm supposed to be the knight." She retrieved her sword, walk a few paces away, and raised the blade once again.

"Come on," she lifted her chin defiantly. "make me a knight."

He stood to face her.

"Yes, sir."

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**hm. r&r ? pretty please ?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sanctuary**

**by stooone**

**Disclaimer : I don't own Hellsing, nor any of the characters. sob**

**Chapter 3.**

* * *

"Take me hunting."

Alucard raised his eyes from the gun he was currently cleaning, polishing - worshiping, actually.

"Excuse me ?"

"You heard me" his young master repeated. "Take me with you tonight."

She came down the few remaining steps to enter fully his room and came to stand in front of him, palms flat on the table.

"I cannot fully understand what it is we are fighting if I stay within the manor grounds and practice only on mock targets. Even if the mock target is you..." she grimaced, having never really been totally comfortable with shooting him. She knew that he didn't _feel_ any pain when she managed to hit him – unless she was using silver bullets, which she didn't – but still, it just... she didn't like it.

Alucard carefully put his gun down and looked at her carefully.

"You'll like shooting human beings even less, Master." he stated, reading her mind.

She made a dismissive wave of hand.

"They're not humans anymore. They're just ghouls. Killing them is merciful."

The vampire smirked, a harsh light coming to his eyes as he slowly raised his hands. And clapped.

"Bravo for a lesson well learned." his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I believe those are the exact words you've been told, right ?" Integra clenched her teeth in furor. "You won't care when I tear them to pieces, then ? When you hear them screaming as I rip the flesh from their bones with my teeth, as I suck them dry and lick their blood ? You'll find it merciful, little girl ?"

Integra was rigid with repressed anger.

"Take. Me. With. You." a pause. "Servant."

"Very well." He practically growled. "Go dress more appropriately then, and bring your guns, _Master_." he injected as much scorn as he could in the word.

There had been one vampire, and ten ghouls . She had managed to shoot four before the others closed in on her. " in the head, in the head, in the head..." she chanted all the while, shooting over and over again, trying not to pay attention to the very human looking bowels that burst out when her aim had been to low, the very human brain that splattered everywhere, and especially ignoring those mad eyes staring fixedly into hers. She tried not to scream, so she yelled instead, kicking hard the first ghoul to lay a talon-like hand on her, hitting another with the cross of her riffle, shooting the third with the gun in her left hand. She yelled again when two hands closed around her throat and threw her head backwards, hearing a sickening crack as the military helmet she had borrowed from the barracks connected violently with a skull.

Then suddenly a dark blur swirled around her and she was released. She fell panting on her knees, eyes wide, as howlings of pain and madness threatened to drown her. Dozens of unblinking red eyes stared at her for a second, then disappeared to be replaced by a dark hound that leaped, seized a ghoul's throat and tore it away, swallowing the dead flesh before jumping again and taking Alucard's familiar form in mid air. He growled, his jaw distending and opening at an impossible angle before he planted his fangs in a rotting neck. Never releasing his prey he raised an arm to shoot the last standing undead monster, and then directed all his attention to gulping all the blood of his victim, kneeling above him. The sucking sounds were suddenly deafening in the silence.

Alucard stood up and slowly approached the girl staring fixedly at him with eyes round with terror. Intergra was fighting the urge to flee, fighting an overwhelming need to throw up and to scream until her ears exploded and a blessed darkness enveloped her. But Knights of the Round Table did not pass out, so the girl stood, fighting the trembling in her legs with everything she had, refusing to look away from her monster's red orbs and dripping fangs. He stopped right in front of her and she had to crane her neck to look at his face, but she stood her ground.

"Liked that, Master ?" his voice was deadly soft and his breath stank of blood.

She took a breath. Then she took another one. Then she spoke, just as softy as him, through clenched teeth.

"No, I did not. Who would like such a thing ? But at least now I _know_."

"I enjoyed it." his grin was more a baring of pointed teeth. There was a pause, where Integra swallowed and looked hard at him.

"Of course you did," she practically whispered. "You're a monster."

"Yes. I am." There was an insane light in his eyes, and she forced herself not to jerk away as he very deliberately took her arm in a bloodstained hand. "Lets go home, little Master."

They didn't exchange another word on the way back to the manor, and Integra stayed thoughtful and mostly silent the next day. But when it was time for the vampire to go out again, she was there, fully armed and dressed for combat. She was there every night of the weeks after, every time Alucard was sent on a solo mission. Little by little her yells changed to low growls and snarls. A fierce light entered her eyes every time she stepped on the field, and she fought with a perfectly controlled fury and deadly precision. Her always defensive stance started to turn offensive, until the time came when she charged with almost the same intensity as her vampire and ended the fight standing amongst fallen corpses, blood smeared in her delicate features, drawing harsh breaths, a feral grin on her face.

She was the perfect image a savage huntress under the moonlight, her blond hair mated with blood falling in loose curls on her back as she discarded her helmet, blue eyes like burning fire. Alucard observed her with almost carnal pleasure as he strode toward her. Such a beautiful night... He basked in the darkness and death around them - ignoring the twitch of unease he felt as her eyes turned and seemed to look right through him. There seemed to be death in them, too. He growled his displeasure and shook his head to chase such thoughts away. She was magnificent.

"Master..." he knelt in front of her.

She looked down at him, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Such a beautiful night, Alucard..."

For some reason, hearing his own thought coming from her mouth was like a piercing sword that ripped all his pleasure away. He stood abruptly and almost brutally grabbed her, not understanding where his sudden anger was coming from.

"Lets go home," he said, and she nodded absently.

His anger didn't leave him the following day, and he was still pacing furiously when she appeared on the evening, a sword adorning her hip.

"What's that ?" he snarled.

She cocked an eyebrow at his strange behavior.

"I'm trying something new," she shrugged.

That night he heard her laugh as she tore ghouls to pieces. He howled his furor to the stars.

"What's up with you ?" she asked, exasperated, when it was all over and they were the only ones left standing on the battlefield. The sword she held loosely in one hand was bloody and she had dirt and gore all over her.

In five steps he was in front of her, roaring :

"YOU FORGOT SOMETHING !"

And with that he pushed her violently with an open palm to the chest and strode past her. Her free hand came up in reflex to catch the object he had pushed onto her as she stumbled backwards in surprise. She opened her hand to look at it and almost choked.

A silver cross.

She let go of her sword and gripped the crucifix with both hands as she fell on her knees, unable to look away, unable to breathe. She choked again, a sense of vertigo threatening to overwhelm her. She shut her eyes and pressed the cross to her lips.

"Oh God, forgive me, for I have sinned..." she gulped once and opened her eyes, seeming to see for the first time the carnage all around her. She forced herself to look, really _look_, at the discarded limbs and torn chests, at the heads frozen in expressions of horror and pain, eyes injected with blood and madness.

"Hear my prayer and take care of these lost souls... Oh Lord, shelter me in your love and wisdom, that my heart never falters again..." She gently, gently kissed the cold silver as a single tear slid from her eyes, leaving one clear track on her dirty cheek.

"Forgive me..." her breath was a white mist in the cold night.

Slowly she stood, leaving the carnage behind her. Alucard was sulking a few paces away, his back to her. She joined him, and gently took his hand in hers, pulling lightly.

"Lets go," she said, and he grimaced to avoid seeing the hint of wonder in her eyes.

"Funny," she whispered to the night air after a time, "that a vampire should rescue my soul..."

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**I changed the rating, just to be sure... Thanks for the reviews, I hope you keep enjoying ! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sanctuary**

**by stooone**

**Disclaimer : I don't own Hellsing, nor any of the characters. sob**

**Chapter 4.**

* * *

Eleven Knights sat around the great table, talking excitedly amongst themselves. The double doors finally opened, and a young woman, a teenager really, entered. She wore an impeccably tailored gray suit on a white shirt, and a blue tie adorned by a simple silver cross. Her ice blue eyes were serious behind round glasses, and she held a folder under her arm. A hush came to the room, then a cheerful voice exclaimed :

"Integra dear ! Look at you ! You're all grown up !"

Integra stopped, and raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Excuse me ? I thought this was a reunion of the Knights of the Round Table, _sir Islands_, not a tea party." She resumed her steps and took her place at the head of the table.

"Now, gentlemen, I believe we have more important matters to discuss than my..." she let an ironic little smile grace her lips "growth..."

She put the folder squarely in front of her on the table, crossed her hands on top of it, and looked expectantly at the bewildered Knights.

"Well ?"

"But..." One of them spluttered. "Shouldn't... shouldn't we wait for the person who..." he gesticulated vaguely "took care of Hellsing business for the last ten months ?"

"Yes, sir Chamberlin, that would be me. Now on the matter of the budget restriction you..." she was interrupted.

"Now wait a minute, Integra, you can't just..." Integra Hellsing calmly slammed her papers on the table.

"I can, and I do. It seems I have to remind you, gentlemen, that _I_ am now the head of the Royal Order of Protestant Knights, and have been since my father's death ten months ago. You shall and will from now on refer to me as sir Hellsing, as is proper. Now. Can we move on to the next subject ?"

Of course it wasn't that easy ; Integra had to battle for about half an hour just to get them to call her by her title, and then they proceeded to demonstrate her incompetence by finding the most obscure matters of the Round Table to discuss, trying to drown her in technical babble and strategic specifics. She was, naturally, prepared for exactly that, and managed quiet brilliantly to remain the one perfectly calm person in a room of fuming adults as she answered every one of their questions and participated rather smartly to the discussion on any subject they raised. Not much was accomplished, but when they finally left, resignedly bidding her "Good evening, sir", she had to resist the urge to high five a grinning Walter – who had, naturally, been listening in on the entire conference. As it were she contented herself with a slight smirk as he bowed her out of the room.

Sir Integra Hellsing didn't grin anymore. She was calm, attentive, and rarely raised her voice. Her teachers were in awe of her sharp intelligence and the seriousness with which she applied herself to her studies. She wasn't fool enough to believe that the military troops would kindly respond to a direct order from a mere girl, so she had Walter transmit her commands and they obeyed well enough. The Conference had been a bit of a challenge, as she was to be in direct confrontation with men four to five times her age ; but all in all it went down pretty well.

She kept a strict schedule every day, awakening at dawn to train, then study, have lunch and spend the afternoon doing paperwork and administrating the organization. The evenings were reserved for more studying, and sometimes fighting. She still had nightmares at night; but each and every time as she sat shaking in her bed she realized that she was in fact still awake, and forced herself to fall asleep.

She kept going on missions with her vampire – she didn't refer to it as hunting anymore -, but showed no emotion as she put monsters to rest with a surgeon's precision. The silver cross never left her. Months went by.

Walter saw the joyous little girl close herself to the world, and worried.

Alucard saw her passion turn into single-minded determination and made it his favorite pass time to annoy her and pester her constantly. He still managed to make her loose her temper from time to time, and had indeed been at the receiving end of a silver bullet or two. She started smoking.

Then one day Alucard was woken by the sound of punching, and he followed it to the room he'd seen Walter clean up some days before.

He observed her as she hit and kicked and punched the helpless bag hanging from the ceiling. He watched her chest rise and fall quickly with her short breaths. He studied her face as she let out grunts of efforts with each blow, and admired her fierce smile as a well placed kick sent the heavy bag swinging.

_hm. _He raised a single perfect black eyebrow in wonder.

"Master ?"

She stopped punching, her back to him.

"Don't call me that." His second eyebrow shot up to join the first.

"Pardon me ?"

She sighed, and turn to him, leaning on the punching bag. "I just..." she rubbed her face and blushed in – he was shocked to realize – a decidedly cute fashion.

"I have all these responsibilities, you know ? I have so much to do, all the time, and I'm proud that I can do it, I'm proud I was able to step up and take my father's place but..." she scowled in frustration.

"I've seen things that _nobody_ should have to see. Ever. And I have to be serious all the time. And, Alucard, I'm only _fourteen_ ! So..." she crossed her arms defensively across her chest. "I figured that if I don't want to be completely insane by the age of seventeen, I needed a place where I could just... relax. Unwind. A place away from responsibility, away from vampires and ghouls, and Knights of the Round Bloody Table. So this is it ; it's a kind of... of sanctuary. And here I am not your Master, and I'm not sir Hellsing, and I don't have to fight monsters ; I'm just plain, human, fourteen year old Integra."

During her tirade she had looked anywhere but at him, and now she gazed timidly up as if she was worried about his reaction. She needn't have feared. He was rooted to the spot, eyes wide.

"Human, yes, but never, ever plain, Integra..." his voice was soft and full of wonder. She found that she liked the way he said her name.

"So... you don't thing it's a bad idea ?" he shook his head.

"I think you, my dear, are a very wise person." the grin that split her face was priceless, and a part of him was surprised at the delight he felt.

"May I... Am I allowed in this sanctuary of yours ?"

She shrugged. "Sure. Why not ?"

"You did say no vampires..."

"Well... just be your human self or whatever." And with that peculiar instruction she turned back to her leather victim.

Alucard stayed pensively in place. Then he shrugged, made a 'whatever' motion with his hand, and went to tap her lightly on the shoulder.

Integra turned her head, blond ponytail swirling, stopped, then turned fully and stared at the tall young man standing in front of her, barefoot, in black pants and a white tee-shirt matching her own.

"Hi", he said, "I'm Vlad."

Hands on her hips, Integra let out a delighted laughter.

"Well hello, Vlad." she motioned with her chin. "I like the beard."

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**Aaaand we're back in the "middle", and can now go forth :)**

**hope you like it! r&r please ? pretty please ?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sanctuary**

**by stooone**

**Disclaimer : I don't own Hellsing, nor any of the characters. sob**

**Chapter 5.**

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The soldiers were thrown this way and that in the vehicle bringing them to the fighting zone. They were fully dressed for combat, helmet on place. The only trace of color on their dark green uniform was the red Hellsing insignia. In the darkness of car the atmosphere was full of raucous laughter, albeit a bit on the nervous side, and smoky.

"Want one ?" a man offered the guy next to him, brandishing a packet of Camel.

"I don't smoke cigarettes," he replied, looking right ahead.

"Suit yourself." he shrugged, lighting his own. "You're a new one, right ?"

"I've... just been transferred here."

The smoking man grinned, showing yellow teeth.

"So you're just about to discover the fine art of shredding zombies to pieces, eh lad ?" he leaned conspiratorially, but spoke loudly "Sure you haven't drunk to much before leaving ? We wouldn't want you to dirty everything around you when you piss yourself !" And with this fine statement all the soldiers in the car roared in laughter.

"They're ghouls."

"What ?"

The lad shrugged one shoulder, still staring straight ahead. "They're ghouls, not zombies."

The smoking man raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Right..." he took a drag. "Listen, kiddo ; you stay next to uncle Jack out there, okay ? I'll make sure nothing comes too close. It's... kinda rough the first time." When he received no response Jack shook his head.

"You're a quiet one, aren't you ? Well. We'll see if you don't find a yell or two on the battlefield." He clapped him on the shoulder.

It was a moonless, foggy night. Jack didn't know what chilled him the most, the screams of dying comrades or the moans of these god cursed ghouls. He kept shooting and shooting at the dark shapes moving out of the mist, but they kept advancing closer and closer.

"Goddamn zombies..." he muttered.

Suddenly three ghouls emerged from behind a tree right next to him. Jack roared and threw himself backwards, eyes wide, shooting at their legs.

"STOP MOVING !! STOP MOVING YOU UNDEAD BASTARDS !! DIE, GODDAMNIT !!"

Three gunshots. The monsters stopped, and fell. Jack laid panting on his back as the new recruit squatted next to him, replacing a still smoking gun in its holster.

"Head, or heart, Jack. Otherwise they'll just keep crawling towards you."

Gulping Jack nodded and accepted an outstretched hand to get back on his feet. The sounds of fighting were receding ; soon they were making their way back to the vehicles, where they regrouped with the rest of their patrol.

"It wasn't really your first time, was it ?" Jack asked his "protégé".

A toothy grin appeared on the mostly hidden feature of the soldier. "Not really, no." He took a cigar out of a pocket and lighted it.

"I thought you didn't smoke"

The lad released a cloud of smoke. "Just not cigarettes," he replied, looking at something over Jack's shoulder. Jack turned is head and saw that vampire, Alucard, coming towards them. He felt a chill coursing his spine.

"That's..." He turned back, but the lad was striding away, putting away protection glasses and helmet, releasing long, silvery blond hair down his, er, _her_ back.

"Alucard. Report." Jack heard the girl command. His eyes went very round. _Tha... that's the Helling girl !_

"Master." the vampire king bowed. "Targets found and destroyed, as ordered. As for the secondary objective..." he raised his red eyes and looked at the line of round eyed, open mouthed soldiers staring at his master. He smirked. "... I believed it was attained, too."

"That... That was Integra Hellsing ?!" Jack heard a voice next to him.

"Yeah..." he replied. He turned to his comrades. "She fucking saved my life out there !"

* * *

_  
Earlier in the week._

"OUCH ! Integra ! You broke my nose !"

The blond girl raised a significant eyebrow.

"Well..." Vlad relented, letting go of the aforementioned body part. "You could have, anyway. What's up with you today ?!"

"I just..." Integra let an irritated sigh go, flopping down on the mat. "I overheard some of the soldiers talking. About me, I mean."

"Ah." The young man sat next to her. "And what did they say ?"

Was that a pout he saw on her lips ? He raised a hand to tilt her chin up. "Is that a _pout_ on your lips ?" She knocked the offending limb away from her face, scowling. Which just made him grin more, of course. Arrogant moron.

"They said I was just a helpless little girl. Playing with live toy-soldiers, and not knowing the first thing about this war."

"Hm." he made a show of rubbing his hand and his nose. "Well you're certainly not helpless."

He looked her seriously in the eye. "You know what they said is not true."

"I do ! It just annoys me that..." she let the sentence go.

"That what ?" he pushed. "It bothers you that _they_ don't know it, right? You want to rub it in their face that you know what this is all about, that you've probably seen more, and killed more, than an entire patrol of them has, right ?" He leaned back on his elbows and crossed his outstretched legs at the ankle, a corner of his mouth turning up in a decidedly cocky smirk.

"You want to show those macho, macho men that you're not just a little girl..."

She gritted her teeth.

He waggled his eyebrows.

She let herself fall back on the mat in defeat, head hidden in her hands.

"Yes..." she admitted, voice muffled.

"Well then..." suddenly he was leaning above her, and she was peering at his red eyes at very close range. Then she was cross eyed as his index finger touched her nose. "Lets show then you're big and strong..." he whispered.

In an instant he was flat on the floor on his belly, one arm pined at a dangerous angle against his shoulder blades as the young girl straddled his back. Her long blond hair tickled his neck and face as she leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"Don't you forget it, either..."

A low chuckle was his only reply.

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**hope you liked it ! r&r pleeaase**


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